Loathing
by LM Ryder aka The Lethal Weapon
Summary: Severus and Minerva are good friends and Sev wants to take it further but a stumbling block by the name of Gilderoy Lockhart gets in their way this is supposed to be head-canon! if I have done it wrong someone tell me I don't own Harry Potter or the song Loathing (what is this feeling) from Wicked


These things are sent to try us...

The thing or rather the person who tried Severus Snape's patience more than any other during his tenure (even more than Dolores Umbridge and that is saying something!) as a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was Gilderoy Lockhart...

The only other person who made Severus that furious was Harry Potter himself. If only he had not made that stupid promise to Albus to protect Lily's son.

He could not bear to look at the child – to look into his eyes was to look into the eyes of his best friend who had been dead for fourteen years. He shivered at the thought of Lily lying there, lifeless and little Harry in his crib.

He gave himself a mental slap, suppressed his rage, and hurt even further behind his Occlumency shields just in case he was called by The Dark Lord. If he survived the war, he would invest in Harry's life by showing him memories of his mother.

On the morning in question, Severus woke to find a silver and black tabby lying beside him on his bed. She yawned, stretched and became his friend/colleague/former transfiguration teacher Minerva McGonagall.

"What happened?" he asked croakily "what did we do?"  
"We were playing chess, you suddenly dozed off so I levitated you through here and became my tabby self in case you had nightmares," she said with a wry grin

"We didn't...," he asked with a quirked eyebrow  
"no"  
"oh"

They went to breakfast, hand in hand though neither of them realised it.

When they reached the top table, a loud cough from Professor Dumbledore alerted them to their predicament. Minerva's face cracked into a cat-like grin and she slid her hand from Severus's blushing furiously

"Sorry" he hissed

"We'll talk later" she replied

With a thoroughly confused sigh Severus picked up his spoon, the boiled egg in the cup before him should have tasted incredible but instead, it tasted like cotton wool. He persevered, realising that he would need to eat something to get him through to lunch.

Severus's mind was working overtime... often; he would close his eyes and picture his Lily. Now however, a very different picture floated in front of his shields.

She was tall, thin and elegant, she had all the grace and poise of a cat and her movements were almost feline. Her long dark hair swept neatly into a bun at the nape of her neck made her look like a prima ballerina. Her dark green robes made her look like a Slytherin even though she was head of Gryffindor house.

He had never looked at Minerva like this before, and he realised it was because it was the same way he often looked at Lily when they were students here. A soft cough beside him made him open his eyes and to his horror, he found he was still sitting in The Great Hall attempting to eat breakfast. His thoughts about Minerva flashed into his mind again and he blushed a nasty, vibrant scarlet.

"Severus are you ok?"  
"Sorry headmaster, I am fine I just..."  
Professor Dumbledore gave Severus a knowing grandfatherly sort of smile making him blush even more.

"Come to my office my boy, I'll have one of the elves bring you some fresh boiled egg. That one must be cold by now. Evanesco."

Severus followed Albus to his office and while Albus indulged in a chocolate egg from the house-elves Severus tried again to eat boiled egg and toast.

"All right, out with it" said Albus "what's got you losing your appetite this time? It can't be Lily... it's been 14 years"

Severus glared at his employer growled "thank you for the unnecessary reminder of my treachery headmaster" between clenched teeth and then sighed deeply and lowered his Occlumency shields

"Go ahead and look sir, you're going to find out either way," he said dejectedly.

"If you want to fire me for it I understand, though how you expect me to protect Potter if you do fire me I do not know."

Albus looked up – something like triumph in his brilliant blue eyes

"I am sure whatever you are feeling does not warrant firing Severus" he said before he gently probed the potions' master's mind.

"Ah" he said, "I understand now why you fear that I will fire you I also understand why you are blushing so tremendously. It does put us in an awkward situation though... especially if you act upon these feelings"

"Do you think I should?"  
"I saw Minerva's face this morning Severus, she feels the same way you do I think. This means I will have to ask our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher for the new year – Gilderoy Lockhart to take your place as spy in The Dark Lord's ranks."

"you hired LOCKHART?" Severus cried spitting out his coffee.

"he was the only candidate Severus, I know you applied... again but I feel that when The Dark Lord returns to power, he will appoint you Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher himself before he makes you headmaster that is"

"oh"

"I would give her some flowers and chocolates."  
"chocolates I can handle but I am lousy at transfiguration you know that!"

"why don't you ask Miss Granger to transfigure some for you?"  
"under the duress of what?"  
"ask her to stay after class, tell her you are impressed with her work and give her some harder work to do and then casually drop into the conversation that you need to transfigure some roses for a friend."

"if she asks who the friend is?"  
"she won't Severus she's a lot more subtle than you think"

"she may figure it out without asking me, she's just as sharp as Minerva!"

Severus went downstairs to where his second year Gryffindor/Slytherin class was waiting for him

"I apologise for my lateness I was in an urgent meeting with the headmaster. Miss Granger I am glad to see you have managed to get everyone working while I was busy 20 points to Gryffindor"  
"thank you sir"

"20 points to Slytherin for following Miss Granger's lead."

"sir" said Draco Malfoy

"yes Mr Malfoy?"  
"are you sure you are feeling ok? I mean giving the Gryffindor mudblood 20 points for usurping your position seems a bit... forgive me but it's something Professor McGonagall would do!"

Severus felt a shiver run down his back when Malfoy used the offensive term that cost him his best friend.

"you've just earned yourself a detention with Mr Filch tonight and as much as it pains me to do this since I know your father will find out about it ten points from Slytherin for the use of an offensive term"

"sorry sir"

"Miss Granger, I would like to speak to you privately after class"  
"yes sir"

At the end of the lesson Hermione and Draco waited behind for a few moments

"what is is Mr Malfoy?"  
"I just wanted to let you know that I will not be telling my father about what happened today in class"  
"thank you for that piece of information Mr Malfoy I assume it comes with a price?"  
"no sir"  
"your mother's influence then?"  
"yes sir"  
"very good, off you go to your next lesson Mr Malfoy"  
"thank you sir"

"you wanted to see me sir?"  
"yes Miss Granger, I am going to tell you something that I hope will not go directly to your head. I am very impressed with your work and your efforts to improve. This is why I am going to set you the task of brewing Polyjuice potion and writing me an essay on the process of brewing it. I will give you the ingredients you need shortly. I also need to ask you a small favour. Can you please transfigure these handkerchiefs into roses for me? as good, a teacher as Professor McGonagall is I was always completely terrible at transfiguration. I inherited that and my potions skills from my mother"  
"of course sir"

A few moments later

"Miss Granger these roses are exquisite ten points to Gryffindor"

"sir, are you going to ask Professor McGonagall out?"

Severus locked the door with a loud bang and cast a silent Muffliato spell before answering

"yes Miss Granger I am but this information goes no further than these four walls"  
"of course sir... may I make a few suggestions?"

"you may although if any of them is about my hair..." he trailed off leaving the idle threat hanging in the air.  
"well I was going to suggest washing it and putting rollers in it, to give it a bit of volume... I was also going to suggest wearing something other than black. The flowers are a nice touch."  
"I have the house-elves making chocolates for her as well"  
"well forgive the pun sir but that is awful sweet of you"  
"how very droll Miss Granger. Have you got any other words of advice?"

"perhaps you should take her a catnip toy? Since her Animagus form is a cat"

"could you transfigure one for me?"  
"of course sir"

"thank you"  
"you know sir, I could tutor you in Transfiguration if you like, I'm sure Professor McGonagall would be most impressed with that"  
"perhaps you are right Miss Granger"

Over lunch and after lessons every day, for the next two weeks, Severus and Hermione studied transfiguration together until finally...

"well done Professor!"

"thank you Miss Granger, you are an excellent teacher"

"all right it's time to make your move."

"tonight, after dinner"

"good luck"  
"thank you"

That night, after dinner Severus went to play chess with Minerva as usual.

As she won the first, game and reset the board so that they could play again... Severus said nervously

"Minerva, I was wondering if perhaps you would like to accompany me to The Gilded Truffle, the new eatery in Hogsmeade next Friday night"

"I would love to Severus"

The following Friday night, Severus and Minerva dined at The Gilded Truffle. Severus presented Minerva with the flowers Hermione had transfigured and then he gave her the box.

"I transfigured this with a bit of help from Miss Granger, she has been tutoring me since I asked her to help me with the flowers two weeks ago, it was her idea. I told her that I was lousy at the subject and..."  
"she volunteered to help?"

"yes"  
"well that was very nice of her"  
"she has been well rewarded, a much harder potion to brew on her own time and an essay about the brewing process"

"Polyjuice?"

"Polyjuice. I intend to make her my apprentice when she is old enough"

"Severus, I was wondering if perhaps you could help Neville Longbottom with his potions... he is great at herbology but for some reason he is abysmal at potions"

"I will consider it. Miss Granger thinks it is because I scare him so much and because Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle keep trying to sabotage the Gryffindors' potions. When I went to confer with the headmaster the other day she took the initiative and started the lesson herself. I had written the instructions on the board."

"well that's wonderful if she wasn't so young I would consider asking you to make her your apprentice already, she ought to be in Ravenclaw"  
"she is just like Lily. Unfailingly kind to everyone, even those who have called her names and ridiculed her for being book smart."

"she is exactly like Lily."

After a sumptuous meal of macaroni and French fries (Severus) and Fish pie (Minerva) the couple returned to the school. At the gates of Hogwarts they shared their first embrace. They went to Severus's rooms for hot cocoa.

"would you consider going steady?"  
"of course"

The next morning at breakfast, things took a weird turn...

As the students had left for their summer vacation, the teachers breakfasted alone in The Great Hall. Albus was introducing the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher Gilderoy Lockhart to the staff. Severus and Minerva sat in their usual seats, Severus had a protective arm around Minerva's waist. He glared at Lockhart, who kept staring at Minerva.

"how did the date go Severus?"  
"very well. In fact we're going steady"

"well congratulations... that's wonderful"

"oh honestly, a greasy ugly old bat like him with a beautiful creature like her?" Lockhart guffawed

"forgive me for this Min" Severus said sotto voce

"of course Sev"

Severus stood up and grabbed Lockhart by the front of his robes.

"keep your eyes to yourself you bloody pervert!" he snapped

"oh honestly Snivellus, why don't you go crawl into a hole somewhere and reminisce about when you called Lily Evans a mudblood?" lockhart retorted Severus growled loudly "oops, touched a nerve did i?"

Severus snarled "Minerva and I are officially a couple, you would do well to remember that" and then launched him through the doors of The Great Hall

"frauds like you need to learn to mind your surroundings Lockhart" he sneered.

At the staff Christmas party a few months later...

(spoken) Dearest darlingest Momsie and Popsical:

ELPHABA  
(spoken) My dear Father:

BOTHThere's been some confusion  
Over rooming here at Shiz:

ELPHABA  
But of course, I'll care for Nessa:

GLINDA  
But of course, I'll rise above it:

BOTH  
For I know that's how you'd want me to respond  
Yes, there's been some confusion  
For you see, my room-mate is:

GALINDA  
Unusually and exceedingly peculiar  
And altogether quite impossible to describe:

ELPHABA  
Blonde.

GALINDA  
What is this feeling?  
So sudden and new?

ELPHABAI felt it the moment  
I laid eyes on you:

GALINDA  
My pulse is rushing:

ELPHABA  
My head is reeling:

GALINDA  
My face is flushing:

BOTH  
What is this feeling?  
Fervid as a flame,  
Does it have a name?  
Yes!:Loathing  
Unadulterated loathing

GALINDA  
For your face

ELPHABA  
Your voice

GALINDA  
Your clothing

BOTHLet's just say - I loathe it all  
Ev'ry little trait, however small  
Makes my very flesh begin to crawl  
With simple utter loathing  
There's a strange exhilaration  
In such total detestation  
It's so pure and strong!  
Though I do admit it came on fast  
Still I do believe that it can last  
And I will be loathing  
Loathing you  
My whole life long!

STUDENTS  
Dear Galinda, you are just too good  
How do you stand it? I don't think I could!  
She's a terror! She's a Tartar!  
We don't mean to show a bias,  
But Galinda, you're a martyr!

GALINDA  
Well: these things are sent to try us!

STUDENTS  
Poor Galinda, forced to reside  
With someone so disgusticified  
We all just want to tell you:  
We're all on your side!  
We share your:

GALINDA AND ELPHABA STUDENTS  
What is this feeling Loathing  
So sudden and new? Unadulterated loathing  
I felt the moment For her face, her voice  
I laid eyes on you Her clothing  
My pulse is rushing Let's just say:  
My head is reeling We loathe it all!  
Oh, what is this feeling? Ev'ry little trait  
Does it have a name? Makes our very flesh  
Yes: Begin to crawl:.  
Ahhh: Ahhh:

ALL  
Loathing!

GALINDA AND ELPHABA ALL  
There's a strange exhilaration Loathing  
In such total detestation Loathing  
So pure, so strong Loathing

STUDENTS  
So strong!

GALINDA AND ELPHABA  
Though I do admit it came on fast  
Still I do believe that it can last ALL  
And I will be loathing Loathing  
For forever loathing Loathing  
Truly deeply loathing Loathing you  
My whole Loathing  
Life long! Unadulterated loathing

ELPHABA  
Boo!

GALINDA

EEEEK!


End file.
